Welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM R45 Multi-Host Suppressor. This week we are looking at silencer mounting methods. How do you get a silencer onto your gun’s barrel, and why would you choose one style of mount over another? This article will focus on rifle-centric systems rather than pistol or PCC options.
Silencer Saturday @ TFB:
Disclaimer: Silencers are highly regulated in the United States. Failure to follow the law could result in substantial penalties including fines and prison time.
Direct Thread
This is the simplest form of silencer attachment. Just like any threaded bolt or fastener, threads on the muzzle of barrel match up to threads in the back of a silencer and they tighten together. It really is that simple as long as the threads are the same. Most guns and silencers use standardized thread sizes and matching those up is typically an easy task.
In the rifle context a direct thread silencer fits best as a semi-permanent mounting system. The only thing keeping it on the barrel is how tight it is. If a direct thread silencer is not tight enough it will back off and if it gets loose enough there can be a baffle or end cap strike that could destroy the silencer.
As with anything, there are pros and cons. This is usually the lightest mounting method because it has the fewest parts. It is often adds the least length as well. But it is also the most laborious kind of silencer to move between guns, and if you are moving it between guns you have to keep track of the thread protectors that live on the muzzle when no silencer is attached (I’ve lost a few and I’m still annoyed about it).
Quick Detach
The weaknesses of the direct thread system led to the rise of quick detach mounts. These use a muzzle device that stays permanently (at least in general terms, it doesn’t have to be welded to the barrel) on the host gun. The back end of the silencer slips over this mount and screws on with anywhere from half a turn to a few turns. This style of mount incorporates some kind of secondary locking mechanism that holds the silencer to the muzzle device. Some use a small tab that ratchets over a portion of the muzzle device, like the AAC 51t mount, or Surefire’s collar that slides over a locking surface on the muzzle device.
Quick detach silencers are best for use on guns that split their time between suppressed and unsuppressed use. The locking mechanisms don’t require a wrench to tighten onto the muzzle device so they can be removed or attached as needed, even during a single range session. This is also a good system for a silencer that sees use on multiple host guns.
The trade-off is that QD mounts may not offer the best accuracy potential. While a direct thread silencer that is dedicated to a gun always stays in the same place on that barrel, a quick detach silencer will not always return to exactly the same place every time it is mounted. There is also a risk that the locking system fails or is not secured properly and the silencer works loose, leading to an incident. I have experienced that before and seen it happen with various and sundry makes of silencers on the range, so it is a real concern to keep in mind. The added bulk and parts needed for a QD system also increase weight an complexity.
Coarse Thread Mount
This new category of mount blends the two previous types. There is not a widely-accepted name for this style of mount yet, so think up your best ideas and drop them in the comments. Dead Air calls theirs a Xeno mount, SilencerCo calls it a Thread Over Mount (TOM), Q calls theirs a Cherry Bomb. The Ops Inc/AEM mounts probably fit into this category as well, though they long predate the others and place the tapered fitting back behind the threads to support the rear of the reflex-mounted design. Regardless of manufacturer, these mounts use a muzzle device with an exposed thread on the muzzle device and silencer. That sounds somewhat similar to a quick detach system, but this style does not use a secondary locking method like a locking ring.
These mounts split the difference between direct thread and QD, and also split the difference with pros and cons. They offer more precision than a true QD system, but are easier to swap than a direct thread. Thread protectors are so essential on the host firearm because damage to those threads can be hard to fix. In the worst case scenario, a gunsmith might have to cut the barrel back and create entirely new threads. With this style of mounting there is still a risk that the exposed threads are damaged. That wouldn’t be a good thing to have happen to your gun, but the worst case scenario would be replacing the muzzle device.
Picking The Right One
Regardless of which one you choose, FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS! None of them work reliably unless they are mounted solidly with enough torque. No system is the objective “best” but they do fit with general use cases. Direct thread cans make the most sense on precision rifles, particularly when the silencer is dedicated to a specific gun. QD silencers are most at home on carbines and battle rifles where a slight loss of precision is not a deal breaker, or on a battery of guns that all have appropriate muzzle devices to host one (or a few) compatible silencers. Coarse thread mounts (or mutts? Hybrids? Halfsies? We need to come up with a catchy name) can be appropriate on almost anything. Before buying a silencer it is a very good idea to think through the options and see what makes the most sense for your particular setup.
That’s all for this edition. Thanks for reading, and we will see you next week.
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